Selecting the "Statistics" link in the navigation bar, and then the submenu link "Overview", calls up the Overview screen. The Overview screen presents a list of all pre-configured reports the agent can use (see figure below).

Figure 4.87. Overview of the standard statistics.

When the statistics module is installed, it comes preloaded with a few sample statistics imported into the system. These are shown as a list on the overview page. If the overview list extends to more than a single page, the agent can browse through the different pages. The list of statistics can be sorted as desired, by clicking the desired column header in the list. To generate a particular statistic, click on the statistic's "Run now" link.

The view user interface provides the stat's configuration settings (see figure below).

Figure 4.88. Viewing a specific statistic.

Configuration settings for a particular statistic can be set within the range of options in the View screen. Either the statistic creator or any others with the appropriate permissions can make the settings.

Pressing the "Start" button (at the bottom of the screen) is the last step to generate the statistic.

Agents with write rights can edit an existing report configuration by calling up the edit user interface of the statistics module. Alternately, they may create a new report.

There are four possible steps in the configuration of a statistic: the general specification data, configuring the x-axis, y-axis and possible data filters for the reported data (or restrictions). Let's create a new statistic as an example by clicking the "Add" button in the overview screen. Our goal will be to get an overview of how many tickets with very high priority are in every queue (x-axis) and state (y-axis).

Figure 4.89. Adding a new statistic, first step.

At the beginning we have to select the type of statistic we want to add. Three types are available:

So let's select "Dynamic Matrix" for our example. Then the "General Specifications" configuration will appear below the statistic type selection.

Figure 4.90. Adding a new statistic, second step.

After providing a title and description for the new statistic, we have to select the statistics backend that we want to use. This is the actual backend module which is responsible to collect and analyze the data for our statistic. In our case we'll select "TicketAccumulation".

By configuring permission groups, we can facilitate a restriction of the groups (and therefore, agents) who can later view and generate the pre-configured statistics. Thus the various statistics can be allocated to the different departments and work groups who need them. It is possible to allocate one statistic to various groups.

Additionally, possible output formats can be selected. Here we can just keep all output formats and choose the one to use when actually generating the statistic. Let's save the statistic now.

The next screen will indicate the next step with a highlighted button: we should configure the x-axis. By clicking the button, a dialog will appear where we can select the element to be used for the x-axis. In our case that will be the queue:

Figure 4.91. Configuring the x-axis of a statistic.

We can optionally limit the queues to be shown by selecting some in the queue field. With the checkbox we can control if the agent who generates the statistic can make changes to the queue selection. We'll keep the defaults and press "Save".

Now we can configure the y-axis in the same way: select the state field.

Figure 4.92. Configuring the y-axis of a statistic.

Here it is possible to select one element or two. In the first case, every value of the element will be one element on the y-axis. If two elements are selected, their permutations will be the elements on the value series. For example you could select "state" and "priority", and the resulting elements will be "new - 1 very low", "new - 2 low", ... "open - 1 very low" and so on. Let's just use the state and press "Save".

Now in the last step we could add data filters to only report tickets belonging to a certain customer, with certain priorities and so on. We'll add a filter for very high priority tickets:

Figure 4.93. Configuring the data filter of a statistic.

Now press "Save" again. The configuration is finished.

You may already have noted that in the configuration dialog there is a preview area where we can check the effect of our configuration settings.

Figure 4.94. Configuring the data filter of a statistic.

The statistic is configured. By pressing the "Run now" button we can go to the View screen where the desired output format can be selected and the statistic can be generated in the different formats.

The Import user interface can be accessed by pressing the "Import" button on the Overview screen. "rw" permissions for the statistics module are required.

Figure 4.95. Statistics import

Facilitates the import of reports, and when combined with the export function of the module, is a very handy functionality. Stats can be created and tested conveniently on test systems, then imported into the production system.

The default configuration of the module registration gives all agents with "stats" group permissions access to the statistics module.

Access according to permission settings:

The OTRS administrator decides whether agents with the permission to generate pre-configured reports are allocated ro rights in the "stats" group, or if their respective groups are added in the module registration in SysConfig.

The SysConfig groups Core::Stats and Frontend::Agent::View::Stats contain all configuration parameters for the basic set-up of the statistics module. Moreover, the configuration parameter $Self->{'Frontend::Module'}->{'AgentStats'} controls the arrangement and registration of the modules and icons within the statistics module.

Statistics can be generated on the command line with the command bin/otrs.Console.pl Maint::Stats::Generate. As an example, see the command line call in the following script.

shell> bin/otrs.Console.pl Maint::Stats::Generate --number 10004 --target-directory /tmp
Generating statistic number 10004...
  Writing file /tmp/List_of_the_most_time-consuming_tickets_Created_2015-09-08_14-51.csv.
Done.
            

A report from the statistic configuration "Stat#10004" is generated and saved as a CSV file in the /tmp directory.

The generated report can also be sent as an e-mail. More information can be called up with the command in the script below.

shell> bin/otrs.Console.pl Maint::Stats::Generate --help
            

It usually does not make sense to generate reports manually via the command line, as the statistics module has a convenient graphical user interface. However, generating reports manually does make sense when combined with a cron job.

Imagine the following scenario: On the first day of every month, the heads of department want to receive a report for the past month. By combining a cron job and command line call the reports can be sent to them automatically by e-mail.